Expansible shoe form



June 18, 1929. w, DE wrr'r 1,717,839

EXPANS'IBLE SHOE FORM Filed July 10, 1928 Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

WILLIAM J. DE WITT,- 0F AUBURN, NEW YORK, assrenon. TO 'rrrn snon FORM 00.,

INQ, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

EXPANSIBLE .srron FORM.

Application filed July 10, 1928. Serial No. 291,630.

This invention relates to an expansible shoe form designed to keep footwear plumped out or free from wrinkles, and is preferably made of celluloid or other resilient thin-walled material by a process such as is disclosed in my Patent No. 1,585,284, dated May 18, 1926. It will be noted, however, that so far as the present invention is concerned, the process by which the shoe form to which this invention is directed is made, is immaterial. This invention is an improvement on the: construction disclosed in my Patent No. 1,646,016, dated October 18, 1927, differing therefrom in certain details of construction as will be pointed out hereinbelow.

The-primary object of this invention 18 to provide an expansible shoe form which is adapted to exert lateral pressure against the side of the shoe, such pressure being yieldably applied to the form through a resilient thrust bar which bears against the heel counter of the shoe when the form is in place. A further object of the invention is to provide a shoe form with a thrust bar so located and connected to the form that the latter can be inserted in a shoe quickly and easily by manipulation of the thrust bar alone. p

Other objects of the invention will appear from a consideration of the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a shoe form embodying one form of this invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are views similar to Fig. 1 of shoe forms embodying other forms of this invention; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Y The form designated in the drawings by the reference numeral 10 is a hollow, thinwalled member or shell including side walls 11 and 12 which terminate at the lower edges in flanges 13, 14. These flanges, which may be integrally connected as shown in the drawing, are in the same plane so that when the form is positioned in a shoe the flanges rest upon the inner solethereof. After the form 10 has been positioned in a shoe the lower edges of the side walls '11 and 12 are expand d in order to fill out the toe of the shoe and hold the material thereof smooth and free from wrinkles. Inthe present invention this function is performed by ex-' panding means carried by the form and actuated by a resilient thrust bar as will be each bar rest upon the flanges 13, 14 and the forward end of each bar is pivotally attached to one of the flanges by a rivet 16 set to permit a pivotal movement of the bar. The rearward end of each bar is pivot-ally and shdably" attached to the flange opposite that to which its forward end is pivoted by means of an arcuate slot 18 and a rivet 20, the head 21 of which rests against theunder face of the flange. The dimensions of the rivet's and slots are such that the shanks of the rivets travel freely in the slots 1.8.

As shown in Fig. 1, one-bar15 overlies the other bar and each has a central slot 23 through which'slots extend a rivet 24 carried at the inner endof a thrust bar 25 by which rivet the thrust bar 25 is pivotally and slidably attached to the cross bars 15. i The thrust bar 25 is of resilient material, preferably of wire, and its inner end is formed into a loop 26 which surrounds loosely the bar 25. Consequently it is not necessary to grasp the form and insert. it in the shoe, but it can be so inserted by a manipulation of the thrust bar alone. The outer end of the bar 25 is provided with a loop 28 which,

when the form is in a shoe, rests against the heel counter.

Thef'form 10 1s firstinserted in the shoe and then the thrust bar 25 is arched out of its normal position until'xthe loop- 28 can be inserted in the shoe against the heel counter. The bar 25 is then released and, tending to return toitsnormal position, presses the loop 28 against the heel counter and through the cross bars 15 forces the form 10 into the toe of the shoe. \Vhen the form reaches the limit of forward movement the bans l5 swing on the pivots 16 while the rivets 20 travel in the slots 18, thus expanding the side walls 11, 12. Should one side wall reach its outer limit of movement before the other, the rivet 24 will travel in the slot 23 of the stationary bar until the toe of the shoe 1s fully plumped out. The thrust bar 25 yieldingly holds the form in this position.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 2 difi'ers fronf'that previously described in the form of expanding means; only a single cross bar 30.being provided. This cross bar isplvoted by a rivet 31 to a flange of one side wall and theother end of the cross bar 30 is providv ed with a rivet 33, the shank of which is passed through a slot 34 formed in'the flange of the other side wall. The thrust bar 25 is pivotally secured to the cross bar 30 intermediate itsends by a rivet 35. The thrust bar 25 is substantially the same as the one previously described, and the" shank of the rivet 35 passes through'a loop formed at the inner end of the form. The thrust bar and form are thus connected in substantially the manner previously described, the form moving laterally of the bar in a plane parallel to that of the bar 30 but being prevented by the contact of the loop 26 with the upper surface of the cross bar 30 from swinging relatively to the bar in other directions. In order to check the pivotal movement of the cross bar 30 the outer edge of the slot 34 is provided with a plurality of shallow notches 38 which receive the shank of tlte rivet 33. As pointed out above, the shoe form is inserted in the toe of the shoe by mani lation of the thrust bar 25, and the thrust ar 25,after properly seating the form, is arched to allow the entry of the loop 28. The pressure created by the arched bar causes the cross bar 30 to pivot on its rivet 31, the other end of the cross bar swinging in the slot 34. The shank of the rivet 33 thus travels from one-notch 38 to another until the form has been expanded sufliciently'to place the shoe in its proper condition. The engagement of the rivet 33 with the last notch 38 it enters on the pivotal movement of the cross bar30 acts to hold the cross bar in that position, thethrustbar 25. The notches 38 may be omitted if desired and the cross bar 30 held' 'in position solely by the action of the thrust bar 25.

In the Fig. 3 embodiment the form is provided with expanding means including two cross bars 40 and 41. These cross bars-overlie each other as in the embodiment shown in Fig. l but only the under crossbar 40 is provided with a slot 42. The forward ends of the cross bars are pivotally attached to the flanges 13, 140i the side walls by rivets thus supplementing the action of.

43 and the rearward ends of the cross bars are pivotally and slidably attached to the flanges by rivets 44 through slots 18. The thrust bar 25 is pivotally secured to the cross bars-40, 41 by a rivet- 45 which is passed through the loop 26 and the slot 42 in the cross bar 40 and is carried by the cross bar 41. The slot 42 permits the rivet 45 to slide in the cross bar 40 when the form is set in the shoe as previously described. The rivet 45 permits the form 10 to swing relative to the thrust bar 25 in a plane parallel to those of the cross bars 40 and 41 but the loop 26 resting on the-cross bar '41 prevents the form from swinging'relative to the bar in other directions.

The embodiments here shown have been described as including certain elements such as, for example, rivets, loops and slots, but

it will be understood that equivalents of these elements specific description thereof is merely by way of illustration and not of limitation. While certain embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, I do not Wish to be limited thereto since others might be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Iclaim: 1. A shoe form having expansible side walls and including the side walls, such means beingpivoted to one side wall and slidably connected to the other side wall in combination with a thrust bar for actuating such means, and means pivotally connecting the thrust bar to such expanding means whereby said form can swing relative to the thrust bar in one plane only. 2. A shoe formhaving expansible side walls and including means for expanding the side walls, such means being pivoted to one side wall and slidably connected to the other side wall in combination with a thrust bar for actuating such means, and means so connectingsaid thrust bar to said expanding means that. the form can be inserted in the toe of a shoe by manipulation of the thrust bar alone. 3. A shoe form having expansible, side \\"alls flangcd at the lower edges thereof, and including means attached to the flanges of said walls and slidable at one end relative to one flange for expanding the walls in-combinationwith a thrust bar for actuatingsuch means, and means for pivotally connecting the thrust bar to such expanding means whereby said form can swing relative to the thrust bar in one plane only. Q

- 4. A shoe form having expansible side walls flanged at the lower edges thereof and may be employed and the q means for expanding including means I flange of pivotally attached having a ally connecting the thrust bar to said expanding means whereby said form can swing relative to thethrust bar in one plane only.

5. A shoe form having expansible side walls flanged at the lower edges thereof and including means for expanding said, side walls, such means comprising a cross bar pivotally attached to the flange of one side wall and pivotally and slidably attached to 6. A shoe form having expansible side walls flanged at the lower edges thereof and bars overlapping each other,

including means for expanding said side walls, such means comprising a cross bar pivotally'attached to the flange of one side wall and the flange of the other side wall in combination with a thrust bar for actuating such expanding means and means pivotally and slidably connecting said thrust bar to said cross bar whereby said bars can slide and swing relative to each other and said form can swing relative to said thrust bar inone plane only.

7 A shoe form having expansible side walls flanged at the lower edges thereof and including means for expanding said side walls, such means comprising across bar pivotally attached at its forward end to the flange of one side wall and pivotally'and slidably attached at its rearward end to the flange of the other side wall and having a slot therein in combination with a thrust bar for actuating such expanding means and having a loop at its forward end and means passed through said loop and said slot for pivotally and slidably securing said thrust bar to said cross bar. v

8. A shoe form having expansible side walls flanged at the lower edges thereof and such means comprising a cross bar at its forward end to the flange of one side wall and pivotally and slidably attached at its rearward end to the the other side wall and having a slohtherein in combination with a thrust bar for actuating such expanding means and loop at itsforward endand a rivet through said loop and said slot for pivotally and slidably securing saidthrust bar to said cross bar. i

9. A shoe form having expansible side walls flanged at the lower edges thereof and including means for expanding said side walls, such means comprising a pair of cross bars overlapping each other, the forward end of one bar being pivotally attached to the flange of onevside wall and the'rearward endbeing pivotally and slidably attached to walls,

pivotally and slidably attached tofor expanding said side' the flange of the other side wall and the forward end of the other bar being pivotally attached to the flange to which, the rearward end of the first bar isattached and the rearward end ofthe other bar being pivotally and slidably attached to the flange to which the forward end of the first bar is attached, the overlapping portions of said bars being slotted in combination with a thrust bar, and means pivotally and slidably securing the forward end, of the thrust bar to the overlapping portions of 10. A shoe form said cross bars.

having expansible side walls flanged at the lower edges thereof and including means for expandingsaid side walls, such means comprising a pairof cross the forward end of one bar being pivotally attached to the flange of one side wall and the rearward end being pivotlly and slidably attached to the flange of the other side wall and the forward end of the other bar being pivotally attached to the flange to which the rearward end of the first bar is attached and the rearward end of the other bar being pivotally and slidably attached to theflange to which the forward end of the first bar is attached, the overlapping portions of said bars being slotted in combination with a thrust bar, and means pivotally and slidably securing the forward v end of the thrust bar to said cross bars, such securing means the slots in the engaging overlapping portions of the cross bars.

. '11. A shoe form having expansible side walls flanged at the lower edges thereof andfor expanding said side including means walls, such means comprising a pair of cross bars overlapping each other, the forward end of one bar being pivotally attached to the flange of one side wall and the rearward end being pivotally and slidably attached to the flange of the other sidewall and the for ward end of the other" bar being pivotally attached to the flange to which the rearward endof the first bar is attached and the rearward end of the other bar being pivotally andslidably attached to the flange to which the forward end of the first bar is attached, the overlapping portions of said bars being slotted in combination with a thrust bar havmeans passed through said loop and through the slots in the overlapping portions of the cross bars for pivotally and slidably securing the thrust bar to the cross bars. i

12, A shoe form having expansible side walls flanged at the lower edges thereof and including means for expanding said side walls, such means comprising a pair of cross bars overlapping each other, the forward end of one bar being pivotally attached to the flange of one side wall and the rearward end being pihotally and slidably attached to the flange of the other side wall and the forward end of the other bar being pivotally attached to the flange to which the rearward end of v the first bar is attached and the rearward end of the other bar being pivotally and slidably attached to the flange to which the forward 5 end of the first bar is attached, the overlapping portions of said bars being slotted in combination with a thrust bar heving a loop in the forward end thereof and a rivet through said loop andthrough the slots in the cross bars for pivotally and slidably se- 19 curing the thrust bar to-the cross bars.

Signed by me at Auburn, N. Y., this 6th day of July, 1928.

- WILLIAM J. DE WITT. 

